Study questions

Life-Study of 1 Peter

1. An Introductory Word

  1. What is the character of Peter's writings?
  2. What verses in 1 and 2 Peter show that the span and scope of Peter's writings is vast?

2. The Operation of the Triune God Upon the Elect for Their Participation in His Full Salvation

  1. What are two aspects of the Spirit's sanctification?
  2. What is the energetic work (operation) of the Triune God?

3. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (1)

  1. As Christians, how is our understanding and realization concerning God different from that among Jews? How did our God and Father regenerate us unto a living hope?
  2. What does the inheritance in First Peter 1:4 comprise of and when can we enjoy this inheritance?

4. The Sanctification of the Spirit, the Sprinkling of the Blood, and the Living Hope

  1. How can God's selection reach you in a practical and experiential way?
  2. How does "the obedience and sprinkling of the blood" in 1 Peter 1:2 show us that we are no longer in the Old Testament dispensation?

5. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (2)

  1. Which stage of salvation is spoken of in 1:5? How can we cooperate with God today to be made ready?
  2. What the comfort Peter offers the believers in 1:6? With this mind, what should our attitude be towards the Lord's coming?

6. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (3)

  1. What is the proving of our faith?
  2. What is the salvation of our souls?

7. The Thee Stages of God’s Full Salvation

  1. When in our experience are each of the three stages of God’s salvation? List at least one item from which each stage saves us.
  2. How does God use sufferings in the present age? When can we expect such sufferings to end?

8. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (4)

  1. What does it mean that the prophets were searching into the "manner of time" of Christ's sufferings and the glories after these?
  2. How does the Spirit of Christ work in us when we come to the Word?

9. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (5)

  1. How does Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9 reveal to us the manner of time of Christ’s crucifixion and coming?
  2. How does “the Spirit of Christ” in 1 Peter 1:11 show us the relationship between the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament Christians? What is the Spirit’s practical application of God’s salvation in the New Testament?

10. Peter's Well-speaking Concerning the Triune God

  1. What does the word "blessed" mean in 1 Pet. 1:3? What does it mean to bless God?
  2. What is the background of the well-speaking in 1 Peter chapter 1 and what is the source and ground of Peter's writing?

11. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (6)

  1. How is our becoming holy an issue of the salvation of God in verses 3-12?
  2. As children of God, why do we need be in fear of God’s judgement? How should that impact our daily lives?

12. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (7)

  1. How can and should the appreciation for the precious redemption of Christ affect our manner of life?
  2. Contrast a vain manner of life (v.18) and the holy manner of life (v. 15). Considering these verses, what is the impied purpose of the redemption of Christ?

13. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (8)

  1. What is the meaning of the foreknowledge of God in 1 Peter 1:20?
  2. How can we touch reality in the Word?

14. The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (9)

  1. What does it mean to purify our souls by our obedience to the truth? How can we experience this purifying?
  2. What does it mean that Christ was manifested in the last times for our sake?

15. Growth in Life and Its Results (1)

  1. According to 1 Peter chapter 1, what are the two matters that issue from the full salvation of the Triune God?
  2. What is "guileless milk" and according to your experience, how can we develop a hunger and thirst for God's word?

16. Growth in Life and Its Results (2)

  1. How can we say that the salvation mentioned in 1 Peter 2:2 is the progressing stage of salvation? Explain how this salvation is primarily an inward matter.
  2. How can we experience Christ as the milk of the word and the living stone?

17. Growth in Life and Its Results (3)

  1. How could Peter testify that Christ was the chosen cornerstone, held in honor?
  2. Consider the Lord‘s gracious words and his strict, stumbling ones. Do we get to choose what to receive? What is the result of doing so?

18. Growth in Life and Its Results (4)

  1. Using two Bible references of Peter's experiences, expound on how both Christ and His believers are stones for God's building.
  2. Using the illustration of pertrification, explain how the milk of the word is related to and with a purpose for God's building. Which of Peter's words in chapter 2 indicate this building is corporate?

19. Christian Life and its Sufferings (1)

  1. What are the five main points in 1 Peter?
  2. How is grace the motivation and expression of the divine life?

20. Christian Life and its Sufferings (2)

  1. What is spiritual "xeroxing" and how does it illustrate what Peter means by Christ being a model for us?
  2. How are the grace (in v. 20) and the model (in v. 21) related?

21. Christian Life and its Sufferings (3)

  1. How is “dying to sins” and living to righteousness in 1 Peter related to our daily experience of Christ?
  2. What part of our being needs the Lord’s shepherding the most? How can the Lord be our Shepherd and Overseer today?

22. Christian Life and its Sufferings (4)

  1. What does it mean to be "joint-heirs of the grace of life"?
  2. According to 1 Peter 3:4, what is the "hidden man of the heart" and how does Peter charge wives to adorn themselves?

23. Christian Life and its Sufferings (5)

  1. What is the balanced word concerning the husband and wife spoken of in 1 Peter 3?
  2. What is grace, of which we are joint-heirs (3:7), and blessing, which we should speak & inherit (v. 9)?

24. Christian Life and its Sufferings (6)

  1. How is caring for our conscience more than caring for appearance? What part of our being should we exercise?
  2. To whom did Christ proclaim God’s victory? In what prison? Use other Bible verses to support your answer.

25. Christian Life and its Sufferings (7)

  1. How does the ark and water typify the effectiveness of baptism?
  2. How is baptism the appeal of a good conscience?

26. Christian Life and its Sufferings (8)

  1. What does it mean to arm ourselves with the mind of Christ and how can we do so?
  2. How do sufferings in the flesh lead us to live in the will of God?

27. Christian Life and its Sufferings (9)

  1. Explain the various judgements of God. Why must we realize how serious God's judgement is?
  2. What is the varied grace of God in 1 Peter 4:10 and how can we be stewards of this grace?

28. Christian Life and its Sufferings (10)

  1. How can we share the sufferings of Christ?
  2. How does God's judgement begin from His house (1 Pet. 4:17)? Explain how this judgement, which is a dispensational discipline, differs from eternal perdition.

29. Christian Life and its Sufferings (11)

  1. Explain the phrase in 4:18, “the righteous are saved with difficulty.” Who are the righteous, from what are they saved here, and what is the difficulty?
  2. Use the metaphor or two mountain peaks to explain why Peter and Paul thought the Lord's second coming was soon. How do you view His second coming; how far away?

30. God’s Governmental Judgement (1)

  1. How is it possible for us, saved Christians, to be subject to God’s judgement? Use verses from Peter in your answer.
  2. To whom does the ”living and dead” in 1 Peter 4:5 refer? And who are the “dead” in 4:6?

31. God’s Governmental Judgement (2)

  1. What is the purpose of God's disciplinary judgment beginning at His house?
  2. How should we take the Word of God seriously and contact others in a wise way?

32. The Elders' Shepherding and Its Reward

  1. What does it mean for an elder to be a witness of the sufferings of Christ?
  2. What is the Chief Shepherd's reward to the faithful elders?

33. The Mighty Hand of God and Its Goal (1)

  1. How can we cooperate with God to "be humbled" (5:6)? If you are proud, what can you miss?
  2. According to 5:7-8, anxiety comes from whom? On what basis can Christians have no anxiety?

34. The Mighty Hand of God and Its Goal (2)

  1. Describe the progression of the four divine acts of the God all grace from 1 Peter 5:10.
  2. According to the entire book of 1 Peter, from what position and experience should our peace come?